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Wright Brothers National Memorial located at 1000 N Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina 27948. It is at mile post 7.5 on U.S. Highway 158, in Kill Devil Hills on the Outer Banks (off-shore long barrier islands) of North Carolina.

Wright Brothers National Memorial, administered by the National Park Service, is the birthplace of modern aviation. It is a powerful symbol of American innovations that changed the whole world. Human being has been admiring birds flying in the air and longing for such flight capability for many many years. After 4 years of experimentation and hard work, these two ingenious brothers brought such human dream into reality on December 17, 1903 with their successful world’s first heavier than air, powered and controlled flight at this location (實現了人類欲凌空飛上藍天遨翔碧空的夢想). It is at this location where Wright brothers taught the world to Fly!

On our driving trip from New Jersey going south to tour Florida in January 2014, we stopped and visited several Points of Interest (POIs) along the way. We visited Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hills on Outer Banks of North Carolina along the way on January 3, 2014. Many visitors come here to pay tribute to the birthplace of aviation honoring aviation's past, present, and exciting future.

The name Kill Devil Hills for the sand dunes here dates back to the Colonial era. Shipwrecks were common at the time, and many of the ships were transporting barrels of rum (alcoholic beverage). When a ship foundered, local wreckers would scavenge what they could of the ship's cargo before it sank, hiding their pilfered rum behind, and sometimes in the same large sand dunes here. Since rum was called "Kill Devil" by the English at the time, the sand dunes here became known as "Kill Devil Hills".

Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wright brothers from Dayton Ohio to Kill Devil Hills on Outer Banks to conduct their 4-year extensive series of experiments resulting in world’s first successful heavier than air, powered and controlled flight. They also valued the privacy provided by this location, which in the early twentieth century was remote from major population centers. What they achieved here changed our world forever.

When you walk up to the monument on top of the 90-foot Kill Devil Hills, you can enjoy the spectacular views of Atlantic Ocean and Albernarle Sound, and feel the breeze of why the Wright brothers chose this location for their extensive 4-year flight experiments. Inscribed in capital letters along the base of the memorial tower is the phrase "In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright conceived by genius achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith."

Wright Brothers Visitor Center is home to a museum featuring models, actual tools and machines used by the Wright brothers during their extensive flight experiments including a full-scale reproduction of the 1903 flying machine which is the first powered aircraft in history to achieve controlled flight, a full-scale reproduction of the 1902 glider in their experiments, an engine block from the original 1903 Flyer, and a reproduction of the Wright's first wind tunnel.

The wind tunnel devised and built in the fall of 1901 by Wright brothers. They used this wind tunnel to test the vertical lift capability of 200 wing surfaces of different shapes and thickness. This was the first practical use of wind tunnel experimental data in the design of an airplane. The Wright brothers used such wind tunnel data in designing their successful 1902 glider and 1903 flyer.

They made about 1,000 glide flights in experiments on the Kill Devil Hills. With their glider, the Wright Brothers perfected a combined warp rudder control that become the key to successful controlled flight. Their story is the realization of human dream that had existed for centuries.

Portraits of Wright brothers on display in the visitor Center.

A full-scale reproduction of the 1903 flying machine on display in the Visitor Center.

A full-scale reproduction of the 1902 glider on display in the Visitor Center.

Centennial Pavilion constructed in 2003 with more exhibits to celebrate a century of flight. (This picture was taken from inside the visitor center through a large glass window with some reflections of exhibits inside the visitor center.)

From Wright Brothers National Memorial we drove south along Highway 12 on Outer Banks to visit Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).

Many winter waterfowl in Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Zoom in for closer view of many waterfowl in Pea Island NWR.

烏雲籠罩，暴躁的怒海， 狂風巨濤駭浪。

The weather on January 3 was very cold with powerful wind because a powerful cold front was moving through eastern seaboard of USA. The Atlantic Ocean along the Outer Banks of North Carolina was very rough with powerful waves on that day.

We continued driving south along Highway 12 on Outer Banks into Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Even with such rough sea and strong wind, we saw many gannets flying and diving from mid-air down into the water to catch fish along the beach near Cape Hatteras. This picture is taken by May Lee.

There were also many white colored birds floating and bobbing up and down on the surface of the rough sea. We were not sure if these birds on water surface were gannets or seagulls. This picture is taken by May Lee.

On calm days and if there is a large school of bait fish in the ocean, the lucky visitors to Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Avon and Hatteras Island on Outer Banks may see the spectacular feeding frenzy of huge number of gannets dive bombing from mid air down into the ocean as shown on the following YouTube website:

Due to the very cold, strong gusty wind and very rough sea, all the Ferry Services between Outer Banks and mainland North Carolina were shut down on January 3. Therefore, we missed the opportunity to enjoy the serene and beautiful two-and-half-hour ferry ride from Outer Banks back to mainland North Carolina. There might be good opportunities for wildlife watching of birds, dolphins, etc. along such ferry ride.

In the following day of January 4, 2014, we continued driving south and toured Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in South Carolina as shown on my web page at:

On the following day of January 5, 2014, we continued driving south and toured Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in southeast part of South Carolina and the nearby Fort Pulaski National Monument in east coast of Georgia as described in the following:

Some shore birds.

There were large number of American Coots in Savannah National Wildlife Refuge which is located at 694 Beech Hill Ln, Hardeeville, South Carolina 29927.

As a result of the War of 1812 (between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain ), the United States embarked on an ambitious national defense program. In those early years of United States, Savannah was then the most important port and chief city in Georgia. Fort Pulaski was built to protect US coast, especially, Savannah, against invasion by European navy.

Fort Pulaski was named in honor of Count Casimir Pulaski who is a Polish nobleman. Pulaski is a true military talent, fighting in many battles across the European continent. By 1776, Pulaski learned of America's struggle for independence and offered his services to the American cause. Pulaski arrived in Boston in July 1777. Pulaski would serve next to George Washington who appreciated Pulaski's vast military experience. He is the man who provided the American colonists with their first true legion on horseback, cementing his place as "The Father of the American Cavalry." He was mortally wounded while helping American forces battle for control of Savannah, Georgia in 1779.

In the United States, numerous streets, bridges, counties, and towns are named for him in honor of his aid to American forces. In northeastern New Jersey, we have Pulaski Skyway named in honor of Casimir Pulaski. When the Pulaski Skyway opened in 1932, it was one of the first controlled-access highways or "super-highways" in the United States, to provide a connection to the Holland Tunnel.

Destined to be one of the most illustrious graduates of West Point, Robert E. Lee, then a young Virginian awaited assignment in the mid-summer of 1829 to his first tour of duty in the Army. Robert E. Lee worked as a member of the United States Army Corps of Engineers upon graduation from West Point, and was instrumental in planning, preparing, design and the construction of this fortress on Cockspur Island. This location has been important since the founding of the Colony of Georgia, due to its location just inside the mouth of the Savannah River.

Fort Pulaski National Monument itself is a large-scale outdoor exhibit. The main structure, together with outlying works including demilune, drawbridges, ditches, and dikes, is a fine example of historic military architecture.

Demonstration of a musket being prepared and fired.

Many white ibises feeding on the lawn in Fort Pulaski.

One of many terns flying near the white bridge over South Channel Savannah River between the Entrance Station and Fort Pulaski on Cockspur Island.

How I use information age technologies to enhance my enjoyment greatly of sightseeing large driving tour loop of thousands of miles and of one to two weeks in duration covering many Points of Interest is described on my web page at: